Twitter is now a public company, and as such it has to increase revenue and keep shareholders happy. And that's why it's thinking about e-commerce, according to a new report.

Recode - citing an unnamed source familiar with the deal - has reported that Twitter might soon let users purchase products directly from the social network. It is apparently close to signing a deal with payments start-up Stripe. This partnership would allow Twitter to accept credit card payments from users.

The deal isn't even in its final stages yet, so don't get too excited. But it indicates that Twitter is legitimately thinking about e-commerce and letting brands, retailers, manufacturers, or even users sell and buy stuff through Twitter. Facebook - Twitter's No. 1 rival and a public company itself - also dabbles in e-commerce by allowing users to send gifts to each other.

Interestingly, Recode says that Twitter has previously developed e-commerce products such as "tweet to send money" and "tweet to buy", though it eventually ditched them altogether. It's not clear why, but the unnamed source said Twitter's commerce-related ideas have "waxed and waned" over the years.

If Twitter does partner with Stripe, the potential e-commerce features are limitless. Twitter could push physical and digital products, explore tie-ins with TV shows, concerts, and more. Recode speculated that Twitter could even one day allow retailers to accept in-tweet payments.

Élyse is Los Angeles-based and has a decade of journalism experience. She sticks to technology reporting, with a focus on Apple and Google-related news, and has worked in many forms of media, including newspapers and online. She also holds a MFA in creative writing and a BA in multimedia journalism.